Deceit and Protocol: Deceit
by Kyizi
Summary: When lies stand in the way, can hope help Sam to put her life back together?
1. Deceit: Part 1

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Deceit and Protocol  
_by Kyizi_

Disclaimer: Okay, if I owned them would I be stuck in a dead end job with no money and only dreams of acting? I think not. They ain't mine, 'k? :)

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Rating: er...I'll get back to you when I'm finished writing the damn thing

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Pairing: Mwahahahaha! Now that would be telling!

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Spoilers: A small one for "Nemesis", a small one for "Jolinar's Memories"/"Better the Devil You Know", "The Curse"

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Notes: Okay, this just kinda came to me and I know I have about 10 unfinished fics, but I had to write this while it was in my head! Also, I want to point out that any new characters within this fic _are NOT_ Mary Sues! It seems that you can't create a new character now without people screaming Mary Sue. Just had to set that straight! :)

Chapter one: Deceit was originally one big chapter, but I've decided to post it in parts…mostly because it's easier to upload (my computer freaks easily!) but also because I want to give myself time to work on Chapter 2: Protocol!

Also, remember that I'm not only the Diva of Darkness, but also the Queen of confusion! If there's something that you don't quite get, you're probably not _meant_ to get it yet!

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Chapter 1: Deceit

Part 1

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Sam sighed as she sat in her chair, the effects of the day finally coming to a head. She took a deep breath as a sob caught in her throat. Covering her ashen face with her hands, she wept. She cried until there were no more tears, leaving her a bare hollow shell of her former self. Alive with no emotion, breathing with nothing left to live for.

The silence of the house enveloped her, smothered her until she became a part of it. The rooms filled with empty memories, with the seeds of a lie. The laughter echoed around her, taunting her with deceitful happiness. It was all a lie. Everything she had lived for, everything she had dreamed for. 

A soft knock at the door rattled aimlessly through the quiet room, but she remained as she was. The low voice that followed did not stir her from the emptiness that had consumed her. Not even the click of the turning lock registered.

"Samantha?" He moved slowly towards her, resting a warm hand on her shoulder as she sat rigidly in her chair. "Samantha, we must go to the base." She did not move. Kneeling in front of her, Teal'c looked up at her hollow eyes, the blank look on her face almost enough to stir the emotion within him again. "We will find out the truth."

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The klaxons rang out as they entered the control room. Sam walked with a steady, hardened pace, filled only with the purpose of her mission. The General met her with a stiff nod and she returned the gesture before turning to the window. Gazing out, she forced herself to remain calm as the chevrons locked in place. Setting her jaw, she watched as the gush of the wormhole filled the room, basking it in an aquamarine light.

Turning to the stairs, she did not even wait for the figures to emerge. She walked, knowing the others were following her, and entered the gate room. There were three of them walking down the ramp as she reached the bottom, standing at attention. The haggard appearance of the men before her did nothing to her, she stood stock still, the embodiment of military. 

As they neared the end of the ramp, they slowed until only one man continued to meet her. He looked the eldest of them all. Whether by age or by ware, his eyes held the most pain, his appearance the most wan. He stopped at the end of the ramp and sighed.

"Hello, Sam."

Her eyes flashed and all the emotion flooded through her, everything that had happened hit her, so she hit him. As his body hit the floor, a solitary tear slid from her eye. "Hello, Daniel."

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He blinked as the light flooded into his vision, the harsh beams making reality wander in and out of his eyes in a myriad of colour. He turned his head to the side and tried to focus the two figures beside his bed. Groaning he placed a hand to his head and gently rubbed his temples before picking up his bent glasses from the nightstand. 

"God, this feels familiar." He squinted as the medical room finally came into view. "I had hoped not to find myself here, ever again. No offence, Doc." He smiled as Janet stood at his other side, fiddling with the monitor.

"None taken, Dr. Jackson." She turned to look at the two people at the other side of Daniel's bed and nodded. "He's fine. Sam packs quite a punch but it was mostly dehydration and sunstroke."

"Thank you, Doctor." The General nodded.

As Janet moved away, he sat up but would not look at them. "So..."

"Would you care to explain why you're back so soon, Doctor?" 

"General, we..."

"How about you explain why the _hell_ you were away in the first place!" 

Daniel flinched at the anger in her voice and turned to her with a little trepidation, "Sam, it's complicated..."

"So complicated that you couldn't even tell your own _wife_?"

"It's not that simple, Sam."

"No, Daniel, it never is."

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Sam fidgeted in her chair as they awaited the start of the meeting. She had hardly spoken to Daniel since his return, but she was too angry. He had lied to her, they all had. And she had to wonder what else they had kept from her. Who else was still alive?

She quashed that thought down as soon as it surfaced. She would not allow herself to dream that way again. Would not allow herself to be fooled by the romantic notion that everything could work out and she'd finally live happily ever after. She had done that to herself before and it had taken too long to get everything back together again. Too much time and too much pain.

She was stirred from her reverie as the door opened. The others took their seats as Daniel and the General entered. Daniel sat next to her, in the seat that had been his in that time that seemed so long ago it was like it had all been a dream. She stiffened and refused to look at him, noting that across the table, Anna's eyes were downcast, the woman forcing herself to keep her eyes from his. Graham was staring at the ceiling and even Teal'c was ignoring his old friend.

"I think that there are a few things that need explained before we begin," the General began as Sam clenched her jaw. "The best thing to do would be to hand over to Daniel, he can explain this better than I can."

"Well," Daniel cleared his throat. "About a year ago, we visited a planet called Thoras..."

"P5X-749?" Anna asked quietly, frowning.

"Yes," Daniel replied, holding her gaze for a few precious seconds before she tore her eyes away. Daniel closed his eyes and took a deep breath before continuing, "We met a race called the Thorians, who shared their bodies with symbiants that were descendants of the Goa'uld. They were an advanced culture..."

"Daniel, we know all this!" Sam cried, turning to face him, "Now, why don't you tell us what we don't know? Why don't you tell us why you ran out on your marriage and let everyone think you were dead?"

"Colonel, I think you'd best let Daniel explain." The General interrupted, breaking the strained silence. Sam sat back in her chair as he motioned for Daniel to continue.

Daniel paused for a moment, not sure how to react to Sam's anger. Her outburst, although expected, made it difficult to concentrate on anything besides the fact that he had hurt and lied to every person in the room, besides the General. He had lied to each of his friends, and he couldn't blame them for being angry with him. His cheek began to tingle with pain again and he winced slightly, but did not complain…he deserved Sam's anger.

"Well," he began, "about a month after our trip, they contacted us for help. They would speak only with Jack..."

"No doubt something to do with _Arinna_." Sam muttered.

"They wanted our help with their new weapon system, as strange as it sounds, they needed our technology. The projectile wasn't something they had thought of, too _simple_ I guess. They agreed to share all that was created by our working together." He paused momentarily, "They wanted to create a new super weapon, using our style of weaponry with their own. General Hammond ordered that only a handful of people should have any knowledge of the operation, and he instructed myself, Lieutenant Andrews, Colonel Makepeace, Lieutenant Feretti and...Jack to leave...and tell no one anything about it...not even the people we loved."

Sam's mind was reeling with the information that Daniel had just given them. Her mind whirred on overdrive as the small inkling of hope began to blossom again.

"Daniel, why did you came back?" Anna asked quietly.

"Because the Goa'uld found out about the weapon. They took us by surprise and they captured some of our people. We've been in hiding ever since. We split into small groups, gated to separate planets, all prearranged, each of us taking some of the prototypes and instructions for making the weapon. That way, no matter if anyone were captured, everything taken would be useless without the rest. My group was supposed to be the one to make contact with Earth in the event that the Goa'uld discovered us." He turned to the General. "We need reinforcements. The weapon is nearly complete...but my job is to prepare a rescue mission."

"Daniel, who was captured?" Sam asked, finally turning to face him again. When he didn't answer, she asked again with more force.

"They got three of the Thorian technicians, Feretti...and Jack." Daniel finished with his eyes downcast as a silence took over the room. After a few minutes, Daniel turned to the General.

"General Yoshi, I need only a minimum of people to form an infiltration. I need to contact the Tok'Ra, they said they'd help..."

"My _dad knew _about this?"

"He couldn't tell you Sammy. No more than Jack or I could. It was a matter of National Security." He took a deep breath, turning away from her burning gaze. "I ask only for a little co-operation, General." 

Yoshi nodded, "I'll get on the phone to the White House as soon as possible."

"Thank you." Daniel turned to the small group around the table as the General left the room for his office. He gazed at them one by one, noting the small differences. Sam's longer hair, Teal'c's strange bleached goatee, Graham's older appearance and Anna's dimples, accented more by her much thinner frame.

"I'm sorry I had to lie to you all, but I don't have to tell you what could happen if the Goa'uld get hold of this weapon. Jack and I argued with General Hammond for hours to let us tell you all, but he couldn't do anything." He sighed. "I'm not asking you to forget what's happened here, but Jack and the others need our help. And there are no people I trust in this Universe more that the four of you." 

The room was silent.

"When do we leave DanielJackson?"

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END DECEIT: PART 1

I have all of Deceit written. There are 4 parts, but I'll pace out the posting, as I'm still working on Chapter 2 (and my other fics!) at the moment!


	2. Deceit: Part 2

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Chapter 1: Deceit

Part 2

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Eight Months Earlier

Sam swallowed hard as she packed away the last of her photographs, unwilling to close the box, as if in doing so she would be closing all final vestiges of hope. The smiling faces before her were taunting her with happiness, something she feared never to feel again, just as she feared she would never see his face again.

A single tear made a path down her cheek, sliding gently over the newly formed scar, tickling the skin around it. But she didn't dare to move, didn't dare to allow herself more grief than this. She felt as though the only happiness she had ever felt was being locked away in the box before her, a memory trapped in time and Kodak. A face trapped, never to be seen again.

Closing the box quickly, fearing that if she didn't do it now, she never would, she taped it shut, every small gap covered, every tear pieced back together. No other happiness to go in and nothing she would ever allow to be set free again. Her heart was dead and she felt she would forever be devoid of happiness.

A tap at the door stirred her from her place on the ground. She stood slowly, her shaky legs threatening to collapse at the sudden movement, and, placing the box against the far wall, she moved to the door.

"Samant'a?" She opened the door and smiled sadly at the girl before her, silently inviting her into the house. Closing the door with a definite click, she paused a moment before turning back in to face the room. 

"What...what have you done?" Anna turned around the room in disbelief, her eyes taking in the desolate picture. The once beautiful home, filled with memories, was now barren of emotion, decorated only by a scattering of ornaments and many darkened rectangles on the wallpaper. She surveyed the scene, turning slowly around the room, before her eyes rested on the box in the corner. It had been covered in tape, almost every inch greyed with it, an almost empty roll sitting next to the plastic it had been bought in. 

"I refuse to live in the past anymore, Anna. I'm moving on." Sam said quietly but steadily, as she moved into the room and picked up the box. She began the climb the stairs to the spare room, preparing to lock the box away in the cupboard. 

"Samant'a, this is not moving on, this is shutting out. You can not expect to go on wit' life if you can not accept the past."

"Is that what everyone's telling you Anna? Is that what they're saying? That you have to accept it? Well, I do accept it, and that's why I'm getting it out of the way. I will not allow my child to grow up with a reminder of what she lost everywhere she turns. I will not let her live with a mother who is living in false hope...I will not...I won't...I won't cry... I have to let him go...and I...I can't..." 

Her knees gave way at the top of the stairs and, placing the box on the floor, she finally allowed herself to grieve.

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A month before Daniel's return  
P7X-990 - The Moon Ilhiyo

The moon was an endless dream of trees, multiple colours fading onto a pinking sky that caused a faint glow to decorate the outline of the distant mountainous region. The outline of the planet that began creeping slowly into view, threatened to cut out all light.

In an area of turquoise trees, there lay an abandoned hut, covered in purple moss, an overgrowing natural residence that seemed, to the untrained eye, abandoned many turns ago. But to those who looked closely, there was an air of homeliness about it, something lived in. 

Jack surveyed the scene before him, hating every inch of the landscape, as he had done since his arrival. The small hut that, from the outside, looked derelict and overgrown, seemed more cramped with every passing day, regardless of the constant digging of extra tunnels and rooms. He had never thought himself too claustrophobic as would cause him to panic, but he had reached that stage over the last eleven months, two weeks, three days, fifteen hours...not that he was counting.

He turned the small periscope style viewer to face the trees to his left. Nothing in particular seemed out of sorts, only that it was. He wasn't sure what caused him to think this, but, somehow, he knew that there was trouble coming, something in his gut told him. Perhaps he was simply being pessimistic, unable to believe that in about two weeks he'd be able to go home. That he'd be able to look at his friends and family again...that he'd, more than likely, end up with one hell of a shiner from his previous 2IC.

SG1. It had been a long time since he'd allowed his thoughts to travel to SG1. He remembered the beginning, remembered every small detail of how that special group had formed, of how each and every member had become his family. And not only them, but General Hammond as well. The last words of his CO echoed in his mind every now and again, *Stay safe, son. The last thing I want is to hand this facility over to some brown nosed, stuffed shirt General who doesn't care a damn about the Stargate or it's personnel. I want to assure you that I _will_ be resigning upon your return, and I want you to make damn sure you're here to accept the position.*

Jack smiled at the memory. When the General had informed him that he wouldn't be rejoining SG1 upon his return, he thought for sure that the Military were planning on forcing him into another retirement...his third, he thought wryly. Instead, he was informed of, not only the above, but that Sam was being promoted soon, and would remain in charge of SG1 on a permanent basis. The new SG1. Two members short, two newbies. Not that Simmons could be called a newbie to the program, but definitely to the field. As for Anna, well, she knew exactly what she was doing. She always had.

Anna and Sam. Now there were two people he was looking forward to seeing...but at the same time, dreading the imminent look of betrayal on their faces. He had lied to them. Okay, so _he personally_ hadn't done it. But he had allowed other people to lie for him. He had allowed General Hammond to tell his wife and his best friend that he was dead...that he an Daniel were both dead. That was not something that was easily forgiven, perhaps, he thought with a great deal of pain, never forgiven.

A sudden movement in the trees to his left, had him in no doubt of his earlier suspicions. They were not alone. Trouble was coming...and unfortunately, he had been so lost in his thoughts, he wasn't ready...no one was.

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Daniel sighed as he walked back towards the camp. How he had ever agreed to this, he didn't know. His expertise as an archaeologist weren't required on this mission, and, since most of the Thorians present now had a pretty good grasp on the English language, he was no longer really required as a linguist either. 

Arinna suddenly grabbed hold of his jacket, keeping herself steady after almost tripping on an upturned tree root. He smiled at her and removed her hands from his sleeve, steadying her, but removing all contact as soon as he could. The moment that she had got the message that Jack wasn't interested in her, she had moved on to Daniel. It didn't seem to matter how many times he reminded her what the gold bands on both men's fingers meant, she disregarded all information that she did not want to hear. As was evident from the near disaster that had almost occurred the previous month. 

Arinna was a brilliant scientist, Daniel was in no doubt of that, and neither was anyone else on the project. She was, however, a little too hasty in disregarding any information that she deemed unnecessary and pointless to explore further. If her colleague, Masred, had not been nearby to stop her impromptu test quickly, not only would they have all been killed, but also the moon itself could have been destroyed. Not an entirely pleasing prospect to either themselves, or the many other people that the disaster would no doubt have affected. That, accompanied with her complete disregard for both Jack and Daniel's wedding vows did not entice either man to her.

His wife. How could he possibly face her after what had happened. He, like Jack, had refused to watch through the 'mirror' that had been offered to them. How could anyone have thought that they would willingly watch General Hammond, a man who loved all of them like his own children, tell Sam and Anna that their husbands were dead. The image that thought conjured brought tears to his eyes as he thought of the woman that he loved crying for him, inconsolable and in pain because of a lie. He knew that she would likely think it a lie to begin with, that she would not allow herself to grieve until it all became too much. Had she shut all memory of him out of her life? Would she wish to do the same to him upon his return?

A blast of fire jerked Daniel out of the thought that so often invaded his mind, and back to the present. The small group around him scattered to the trees, dividing into the smaller groups that had been prearranged in the event of attack. Daniel led his group stealthily through the trees, almost unable to believe it himself that he was so competent in acting the soldier now. 

Having already pulled his pistol from his side, he held it firmly in both hands, no slight of nervousness about him, no possible opening for error on his own behalf. Stopping suddenly at a movement in the trees, he gestured the two men behind him to fall back, both of them awkwardly complying. He crouched down, moving slowly but steadily towards his target, only to pause as he heard his name whispered. Turning, he looked at the two men behind him, noting the look of terror on both their faces, idly wondering if his had ever held that same look. His mind answered with Jack's voice, "frequently".

Confident that neither of the two men had spoken, he cautiously crept forward, putting the voice down to a combination of the wind and his mind. That was, until he heard it again, this time slightly louder. Recognising the voice as one of the scientists on the program, he moved cautiously closer, unsure as to whether or not it was a trap. 

Peeking through the trees, he noted with satisfaction that the only person visible was Likna, the young brains behind the entire operation. Unfortunately, the next thought was, of course, that Likna was a part of Jack's group, and if he were here alone, then where were Jack, Feretti and Kahnar.

Convinced that the man was, not only alone, but terrified, Daniel replied softly, making his presence known. Signalling that Likna should make sure he was safe to join him, Daniel fell back slightly, making sure that no one was nearby. The sudden rustle of the trees next to him had him on guard and training his weapon instantly, but was quickly relieved to find that it was only Likna.

Nodding his head for the man to follow, they made their way back to the other two Thorians, who were still crouching under a large leaf in fear. On seeing Daniel return, they looked pleased, for about three seconds before their eyes widened in horror. Turning instantly, Daniel dropped his gun to the ground. Likna was grinning at him, his gun pointed at the archaeologist's head, his eyes glowing yellow with arrogance and deceit.

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END DECEIT: PART 2

Feedback always welcomed at **kyizi@hotmail.com**


	3. Deceit: Part 3

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Chapter 1: Deceit

Part 3

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Present Day  
Cheyenne Mountain, US Military Base

Anna wandered aimlessly around her office, unable to sit still since Daniel's return. They were currently on stand down while General Yoshi made his calls to the White House. 

Teal'c had walked her to her office as soon as the briefing had broken up. She had refused to stay in the room any longer, she couldn't stay in the room any longer. All that she could think of was that day. The day that General Hammond, a man that she had loved and respected with all that she could, had told her that the love of her life was dead. He had lied to her, they all lied to her. 

Ignoring the tears that had started to form in her eyes, she noted that she had stopped walking and had begun to absentmindedly play with the mahogany frame of the photograph on her bookcase. Her wedding day. The day that he had promised to be with her through the good times and the bad and she had promised him the same. And yet, now she discovered that it had all been a lie. She had been left in the dark to grieve for him, unable to help him through her ignorance of the situation.

Slamming the photograph face down, she quickly wiped her eyes and moved to the computer, the symbols on her keyboard somehow comforting to her. She had almost left then. Almost moved back to the comfort of her home country, to the safe desk job offered to her by her own military. She was by no means unintelligent, but the idea of a desk job, however safe, did not hold any excitement for her. And so she had stayed, fought on against her grief, honouring her husband's memory, honouring a lie.

She opened up a new email and began to type.

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"Come in." Yoshi sighed softly, rubbing his eyes. Hearing the door click shut, he looked up at the young woman before him, standing stock still, her eyes staring vacantly at a point above his head. "At ease, Lieutenant. Please sit down."

He breathed a sigh of relief as Anna nodded and took her seat, still noting that she was tense. She obviously knew why she was here.

"Would you mind telling me why I received a recall from the Russian government about ten minutes ago? By your request?"

"Sir, I believe that it would be best if I were to return home. I can be of no use on d'is mission, I am far too close to it."

"Under normal circumstances, I'd agree, however, you are the best God damn shot we have in this base and I'll be damned if I'm going to let you walk out of here due to personal problems."

"I can not function properly on d'is mission, Sir."

Yoshi sighed and stared at her. Her eyes remained fixed on some point that he couldn't see. He had been in charge of the base for only eleven months, and yet he felt close to the people in it, especially to SG1. The Colonel, he was still a little unsure about, she was one of the most intelligent people that he had ever met, and he understood why Hammond had the utmost confidence in her ability, as it was something he felt himself. He held Teal'c, Anna and Graham in the same esteem, although for completely different purposes. 

Since he had arrived on the base, it had taken a lot of getting used to, as Hammond was well loved among his personnel, and until he had the respect of SG1, no other team would follow. There had been many changes in the running up to his being hired, and he was very aware of them. When he had been informed of the secret mission that Colonel O'Neill and Dr. Jackson had been sent on, he had not understood why Hammond had made it out to be such a big deal. That was, of course, until he had met Sam and Anna. He had never known them as General Hammond had, but felt that what little was left of their former personalities should be preserved, and had, therefore, taken without delay, Hammond's suggestion to move Anna from SG9 to SG1 as soon as SG1 was to be recalled. Also, it seemed that Simmons had been suggested by Colonel O'Neill as the fourth member, and not one to disregard the thoughts of such a highly esteemed Colonel, he had done just that.

He sighed aloud, knowing that if - no - _when_ the Colonel returned, he would be moved straight back to the pentagon, and however much he disliked the idea, he knew that he had to do all that was in his power to return Colonel O'Neill and the others home. And his best shot at this, was SG1.

"Lieutenant, I want you to listen to me, and listen well. I think we both know that if General Hammond were here, he'd say the same thing. I'm not saying this to get you on my side, I'm saying it because it was the truth. You all visited him constantly after his stroke and I know that you were there when he died, Anna. Don't pretend to me that that means nothing to you, because I know otherwise. I liked the man, a lot, we grew up together and I consider him one of the best friends I ever had. That's why I made sure that I got all the particulars of this base from him personally." Yoshi sighed. Apart from a slight start at the mention of Hammond, her countenance remained the same.

"We need you on this one, Lieutenant. We need SG1 working at it's best. You say this is too personal for you, fine. But let me say this to you. It's been personal to you for a long time now, and you still continue to do it. If you didn't do it for that reason, then why do you still wear that ring?" That had her attention. Anna looked down at her left hand, unknowing that she had been absentmindedly fingering her wedding bands. 

"Colonel O'Neill is out there, somewhere. Could you live with yourself if you did nothing. Regardless of how much the lies hurt you, I'm sure they hurt him as well. Are you really willing to let that stand in the way of his living or not?"

With this he knew he had her, and so did she. Shaking her head, she let her tears fall as she continued to stare at her rings, lost in thoughts of a happier time.

"No," she said hoarsely, "no, I could not." 

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A Week Later  
Goa'uld holding cell on the planet Jho'Kla

Jack groaned, his vision focussing with a sharp, painful throbbing in his temples. He was having difficulty breathing without coughing, and speaking was out of the question, his throat so dry and raw he could have been eating fire...for all he knew, he had been. 

Memories were patchy at best, scattered and disjointed at most. It wasn't that he didn't know who he was, Colonel Johnathon O'Neill, he had a family, he had friends. This wasn't new to him...their faces, however, were a mystery. Faint echoes of laughter, teasing, friendship and hurt all flashed through his mind in a cacophony of sound. Occasionally they were accompanied by a blurred picture, as if the image had been submerged in water before it had fully developed.

A clang in the distance made him jerk his head up, instantly causing him to hiss in pain. His neck was bruised and bleeding, as was most of his body. If he hadn't already done it, he'd be sure he'd been to hell and back again...what made him think he had been there? The faint recollection of a kind man with glowing eyes came to mind...Jacob...Selmac. He had been to hell with this man, eh woman...

A groan to his left caused Jack to come out of his reverie and check out his surroundings more thoroughly. Turning cautiously, partly due to his neck, partly because he didn't want to be noticed by passing guards and tortured again, just for the hell of it, Jack noticed that he wasn't alone in his cell.

"Feretti?" He coughed. His voice was a hoarse whisper, croaky as if he hadn't used it for a while. How long had he been here? Was he missed anywhere? Why did he have the feeling that people would think he was already dead?

"Colonel?" 

Forcing all thoughts but the present from his mind, Jack pulled himself painfully across the room until he was seated next to the shivering man. Placing a hand onto Feretti's forehead, he noted that the younger man's condition was, without doubt, far worse than his own. Feretti's head had a large gash almost stretching the entire width of his skull, the short hair on top was so stained with blood that anyone could have mistaken the man for having red hair. Jack winced in sympathy as Feretti coughed, the act causing him to jerk his head and hit it off the ground, causing more blood to spill from the wound. 

Both men were suddenly shivering as their barely clothed body's felt a hiss of cold air circulating the draughty room, as if the elements had somehow penetrated the thick stone walls. Then began a constant thudding of steel on stone, carefully, steadily, angrily, continuing towards them from the halls. 

"Wh-what's going on Colonel?"

"I have no idea."

"Do you remember anything?" Feretti asked, attempting to curl up into a ball as best he could, trying to block out the thudding that was slowly getting quicker and louder. 

"Bits and pieces." Jack surveyed the room, disheartened by the lack of...well, anything. There was no window, in fact, there was nothing to signify a door either. "We have to get out of here." He said raising himself from the floor.

Clutching his sides, he hobbled across the room, moving from wall to wall, his hands feeling the rough stone surface for any sign of something that might open, or be the method of opening something. In vain he reached the same spot he had started at, dropping down next to Feretti, having only succeeded in pissing himself off and wearing himself out. 

The thumping was now so close and so loud that neither man was sure where the actual noise began, where the echo was and what was simply the migraine in their own heads. The entire room was shaking now, each part of their bodies quivering in such a sensation as to make them feel they could sense each and every molecule vibrating on its own.

The tension in the room was raising, and had indeed escalated exponentially on noticing three dead bodies in the centre of the room. The Thorian scientists. The fact that the smell hadn't presented the problem simply proved to both that they had been here longer than they cared to remember, even if they could. The Thorians had, in more than one way, annoyed Jack, but he still felt remorse at their death. Even if only due to the fact that he felt a little guilt at their bodies being less capable of withstanding pain, although, their minds were far more difficult, and it pained Jack to know that. In knowing that, he had no doubt that they had been tortured to death, unwilling to betray the secrets their minds held about the weapon.

The noise was now inconceivable, echoing through the room with an ear-splitting clang. The pitch had changed and was continuing to do so, higher and higher, until the pain was worse than the noise, having reached a pitch beyond their hearing. Suddenly, the floor beneath them gave way, causing them to fall and Jack frowned momentarily when he noticed one of the Scientists looking straight at him, almost cringing in fear for Jack as he disappeared from view.

They were sliding down a slicked stone tunnel, smooth to the touch, but rough enough to cause their injuries further pain. Jack was so engrossed in his thoughts, however, that he barely noticed. The scientist was obviously feigning death. Lying in a pile of his dead friends was, to him, better than whatever had been the cause of the fear Jack had seen in the man's eyes. That was not a happy thought for Jack.

He stared straight up, noting that the light from the hole they had fallen through was getting further and further away. The clanging had stopped a moment or two after they had fallen through the floor and Jack could have sworn that he heard a door opening, although, _where_ it could have opened was quite the mystery. It was then that he heard her voice, echoing around him, just a simple curse, and Jack wondered just how out of it he was to be hearing his 2IC's voice on such a distant and desolate place. Especially when he now remembered that she had thought him dead.

They landed in a heap a few moments later, how far under ground they now were, Jack was unsure of. In fact, he was so unsure of where they had begun, that they could, indeed, still be above ground. The weight of Feretti's prone form on top of him was causing his breathing to become more difficult, and so, careful to not injure the man further, Jack pulled himself out from under. 

"So, the infamous Colonel O'Neill. I believe we have an acquaintance in common." 

Looking up, Jack's eyes rested on the only other person present in the room. A tall woman with curly blonde hair was smirking down at him with yellow eyes.

"Osiris, I presume." Jack said, although it was more of a statement than a question.

"You presume correctly. From what I have heard since my release from your world, you are quite the catch."

"Yeah, I used to tell all the women that. Still single. That should tell you something. Now why don't you let us go." Jack pulled himself up, staggering slightly as his head, still woozy from their trip, caused the room to spin.

"I don't think so, Colonel. Besides, I'm sure your wife would disagree with the previous statement."

"You seem to know a lot about me." Jack stated, his eyes narrowing.

Osiris smirked, "You would be surprised by exactly how much I know. I was surprised myself. But you were so willing to tell me." At his look she gave a small laugh. "You don't believe me, Colonel? Well, we shall see. Perhaps this time, I will allow you to remember our session. Then when your friends and family are all dead and you world destroyed, you can know that it is all thanks to you."

Jack watched as she smirked and advanced, the evil glint in her yellow eyes sending a shiver down his spine, and he knew it was true. He had betrayed his wife, his family, his friends, his entire planet. He had failed her again. And there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. 

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~x~x~x~x~x~

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END DECEIT: PART 3

Okay there's only one more part to go…so lets just hope I can finish Protocol soon, eh? ;)


	4. Deceit: Part 4

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~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~

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Chapter 1: Deceit

Part 4

~x~x~x~x~x~

An hour earlier  
The Tok'Ra ship, Aku (translation: 'supernatural spirit')

"Are you sure this is the place?" Sam asked her father for the seventh time.

"Yes, Sam, I'm sure." Jacob sighed and turned to look at Daniel, who was sitting with his head resting against the wall, having spoken not one word to any of the inhabitants of the ship since they boarded. At this, Jacob was unsure, he couldn't tell if it was because he had given up trying to get them to talk to him, or because he was so lost in thought and guilt about Jack's current situation. Given that his relationship with each of them was a lot better than it had been upon his return, Jacob guessed it was the latter, glad that his relationship with his wife was, once again, as it had been. She had finally accepted that he hadn't wished to lie to her…had seen the pain it had caused reflected in his eyes.

Having heard about the problems with the weapon from another source, the Tok'Ra had immediately used their communication lines with their spies, as best they could without putting anyone in danger. Their discovery had been unsettling, and, to some, startling beyond belief. They had known of Orisis' revival but had heard so little of him that some had discounted the story of the return as a hoax, or at best a dying revenge. For Osiris to make them think that he was still alive and well was enough to set fear into the hearts of many, whether it be true or not. 

They had discovered the whereabouts of the Colonel and the other hostages with little difficulty, and Jacob had an unsettling suspicion that there was something amiss. The ease with which they had come by the information was a little too much for him to take and Selmac, in all her wisdom, agreed. However, whether his co-operation was for his daughter sake, his son in law's sake or for the memory of his friend, George Hammond, Jacob had insisted that the mission be his.

"We're here." Slowing the controls and bringing the ship to a halt, Jacob ensured that they were at a reasonable distance to escape quickly, if necessary, and yet close enough to actually go down to the planet.

"Okay, this is the plan." Sam turned to the others. "Our first priority is to get a good look at the facility. From the Tok'Ra sources, we know that the compound is larger than anything we've seen before, and it goes underground as well. We have no idea where anyone is being held, so the last thing we need is heroics. Understood?"

With four nods to the affirmative, Sam returned the gesture and looked at her father, "Dad, I want you to pull us out of there the minute you think anything's going wrong."

Jacob sighed and nodded, "I still wish I was going with you, but you're the boss on this one, Sammy." Giving her father a small smile, she turned to the others and they prepared to leave, turning back only at Selmac's parting words, "Bring them back safe and sound, Colonel."

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~x~x~x~x~x~

Ten Minutes later   
Outside the Goa'uld facility on the planet Jho'Kla

"Okay, Daniel, I want you and Anna to go to the South. Make your way round to the back of the facility and see what you can figure out about the guards, any entrances. Anna, you know the drill. Teal'c, I want you to take the North, head towards their shipyards and see what their air attack could do. Graham and I will head closer in this direction. It seems to be the best way into the facility and I'd like to get a closer look. Understood?"

All nodded and headed out in the direction set them, and Daniel turned back and offered Sam one last smile before he headed off after Anna. They slowly moved around the facility, creeping forward with ease and speed. Daniel kept his pistol clutched in his left hand, his right never straying far from the Zat gun at his side.

It felt strange for him, working so close to Anna. He knew her like the back of his hand, or at least he had, things had changed since his 'death', and yet, they had only worked side by side on one occasion before. It felt odd, knowing that usually, in these circumstances, he would be working with Jack, Sam or Teal'c. Usually the latter of the three, and now, he was on a mission to save the former. Now there was a twist in the tale of his work with the SGC, _him_ rescuing _Jack_.

He ducked instantly, having sensed the slight change in Anna's pace, and the further tensing of her shoulders. The instant she fell to her knees and rolled into the bushes to her left, he had done the same and was lying right next to her. He was so close he could hear her quickened breath making its way through her system. 

"D'is was a trap." she whispered softly. "D'ey knew we were coming."

"We don't know that. Not yet." Daniel strained to hear what the guards were saying, struggling to catch on to any word, any phrase. "Eh...okay, this was a trap." He turned and gave her an apologetic look.

"What are d'ey saying?" she whispered, moving closer to him, knowing that he would have to lower his voice as the guards approached. 

"Well, they have Sam and Lieutenant Simmons,"

"D'ey took t'e most direct route, d'ey would not have been able to escape." 

"I know. They know where Teal'c is, but I think he's walking in to a trap as well, so they don't seem to be in any rush."

"Do d'ey know we are here?" She asked, slightly apprehensive of the answer.

"No, no but they know we're in the area. They seem to know everything, except that...or maybe they know everything." Daniel pointed to the sky, and Anna was able to make out at least five ships flying through the air, in the direction that she had no doubt Jacob was.

"It would appear d'at t'e best course of action would be to return t'rough t'e Stargate."

"If there is one."

"I believe d'ere is one on the hill behind us."

"How can you be sure?"

"I saw it. It is not a very difficult object to miss, Daniel."

"So what," Daniel replied, choosing to ignore her sarcasm, "we just leave? We leave Jack and Sam and everyone to be tortured, possibly even killed?"

"What would you have us do Daniel? Would you rather we fight a loosing battle and die knowing thet d'ey did not stand a chance or would you rather live and come back wit' reinforcements."

Daniel didn't reply, but it was obvious that he saw her point. He took one last look at the facility, sending a silent prayer that everyone was all right before turning and following Anna in the opposite direction.

He was abandoning them again. He was abandoning her again. Only this time, it was nothing to do with a cover up, nothing to do with a fake death. This time it was all the more real to him...it could be about her death, about Jack's death and about Teal'c and General Carter and Simmons and Feretti...it was about him leaving them, not knowing whether they would be alive to rescue upon his return.

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~x~x~x~x~x~

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END DECEIT: PART 4  
END DECEIT

Okay, I'd just like to point out that, if there are any facts/happenings that seemed ambiguous, they were supposed to! There are things that I have deliberately left to be explained in Part 3.

I am working on Chapter 2 **(Protocol)** and Chapter 3 **(Intertwining Deceit and Protocol)**. But I'm doing it slowly. I want this story to be written well!

Any ideas/feedback/constructive criticism will always be welcome. I can be reached at **kyizi@hotmail.com**


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